Thumb Cookies from "The Tasha Tudor Cookbook"

Christmas Calendar Inspired by Tasha Tudor

Making thumb cookies for Christmas teas. The photograph above was part of last year's "The Days Until Christmas, Amelia's Favorite Things" Calendar. Violet shows her little sister Cynthie how to make a small hollow with her thumb in the cookie, which they will fill with raspberry jam. Little sister Cynthie watches and copies Violet. The receipt for "Linda de Christopher's Thumb Cookies" is in "The Tasha Tudor Cookbook".

 

 

Roll up a bit of dough into a ball, then press down with your thumb, and fill with raspberry jam.

 

 Thumb cookies put on a cookie sheet to be baked.

 

 

The baked thumb cookies cooling on the rack to the right.

 

 

 

    

 At tea Charlotte reads the miniature version of "The Night Before Christmas" written by Clement Clarke Moore and illustrated by Tasha Tudor. Charlotte just loves the Tasha Tudor illustration of the doll wearing a bonnet, a toy sheep, ornaments, and a candy cane. Charlotte wears her lovely handmade chemisette. She enjoys thumb cookies and Tasha Tudor's Welsh Breakfast Tea.

 

 

 

 

 

  

Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendars and delightful dolls inspired Diane and Sarah to create their own Christmas Calendar. 

 

Diane and Sarah's 4th Annual Calendar to Count "The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things" can be found by clicking here: 

 

"The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things"

 

The link takes you to our web site "Our Favorite Things" where there is a special page with our Calendar with 25 round red windows covered with holly until the appointed day. Sometime during each day the window will change to the photograph of the day. The windows of the day are done alphabetically, going from A to Z and feature the dolls and their animal friends at Corgyncombe as they celebrate Christmastide joy!

 

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Chirp and Squeak, Busy at Christmas!

Christmas Calendar Inspired by Tasha Tudor

Tillie Tinkham, seamstress at "Tillie Tinkham's Frocks & Fashions" at Corgyncombe, gives Chirpy Cheerful, who flies for Finch Post, an order for some necessary items. Christmas will soon be here and Tillie and Chirpy Cheerful are busy as can be! 

 

Diane too is rushing about like Anna Maria in Beatrix Potter's "The Tale of Samuel Whiskers" in time with Mozart's Oboe Quartet in F Major. There is baking to be done, a Christmas tree to decorate, a goat to milk, corgyn to take on necessary outings, dishes to do, photographs to take, and more editions of The Corgyncombe Courant to publish!

 

 Perfume from "Emily & Ethlyn's Potions & Perfumery" at Corgyncombe. 

 

Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendars and delightful dolls inspired Diane and Sarah to create their own Christmas Calendar. 

 

Diane and Sarah's 4th Annual Calendar to Count "The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things" can be found by clicking here:

 

"The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things"

 

The link takes you to our web site "Our Favorite Things" where there is a special page with our Calendar with 25 round red windows covered with holly until the appointed day. Sometime during each day the window will change to the photograph of the day. The windows of the day are done alphabetically, going from A to Z and feature the dolls and their animal friends at Corgyncombe as they celebrate Christmastide joy!

 

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Little Girls' Joys at Christmastide

Christmas Calendar Inspired by Tasha Tudor

Both Diane and Sarah had Jack-in-the-Boxes when they were little. All the little girls at Corgyncombe Cottage are taking turns showing their Baby Dolls the Jack-in-the-Box. What fun it is when the clown pops up! It makes the Baby Dolls giggle and coo. Tillie Tinkham, the seamstress mouse at Corgyncombe, made the clown.


Little Tasha is looking at an illustration of a Corgi licking a candy cane, with ribbons and holly all round. The book stand that holds the corgi illustration, is a miniature copy of the one Tasha Tudor had on her artist's table. It was made by Tasha Tudor's son Seth Tudor. 
Little Tasha was named after Tasha Tudor because The Corgyncombe Courant was reminded of the portraits of Tasha Tudor when she was a girl painted by her mother Rosamond Tudor.



Standing on a chair in the parlour, Cynthie is reflected in the mirror showing her Teddy Bear a dove in the Christmas tree.


Cynthie says "Teddy Bear likes the pretty dove in the Christmas tree."

 Frizzy thought her reindeer would look stunning decorated for Christmastide!

After awhile Frizzy says, "It's getting chilly. Let's go inside, Reindeer." Luckily Auntie Nicey and Auntie Amelia are nowhere in sight. Frizzy tells her reindeer to please be careful around the glass in Auntie Amelia's pastry cupboard. She finds another red glass ball to hang on Reindeer's antlers. After she hangs it she looks at her reflection in the red glass ball and exclaims "Oh how beautiful! My hair looks even redder!"


Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendars and delightful dolls inspired Diane and Sarah to create their own Christmas Calendar. 

Diane and Sarah's 4th Annual Calendar to Count "The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things" can be found by clicking here:
 "The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things"

The link takes you to our web site "Our Favorite Things" where there is a special page with our Calendar with 25 round red windows covered with holly until the appointed day. Sometime during each day the window will change to the photograph of the day. The windows of the day are done alphabetically, going from A to Z and feature the dolls and their animal friends at Corgyncombe as they celebrate Christmastide joy!


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Amelia's Sisters, Elegant Ladies

Christmas Calendar Inspired by Tasha Tudor

Amelia's sister Emma Lydia in her lovely green velvet gown. Emma Lydia is Mummy to Rosalie, Elizabeth, Violet, and Cynthie. Mummy was thought lost at sea but spent several years on a remote island. Mummy was found this last February and joyously returned to Corgyncombe. You can read about it, here is the link: The Corgyncombe Courant.

Daisy's Mum in an ermine. Daisy's Mum is another of Amelia's sisters.

Emma Lydia wearing a comb in her hair, atop like a crown.


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Staying Warm on Cold Wintery Days

Christmas Calendar Inspired by Tasha Tudor

Darling & Domestic Daisy lifts the stove lid and puts another log in her Auntie Amelia's "Little Fanny" stove. The "Little Fanny" stove is just like the stove Tasha Tudor had in her doll house kitchen. Amelia is so pleased with her "Little Fanny" kitchen stove.

 

Atop the stove in the copper kettle, Red Pontiac potatoes are cooking. Amelia's kitchen is cozy and warm despite the winter chill outside. A wood cookstove heats up quickly and there is large amount of hot surface to a wood cookstove that throws out a lot of heat.

 

    

    Snow drifting into the barn.

 

The weather at Corgyncombe this morning was snowy, blowy, and drifting, and it was very cold. The wind was blowing so hard it would have made it impossible to go into the barn door that the wind was blowing against. We went in another door and found the snow drifting in the wind locked door. There is something about drifted snow that is so pretty, like frosting. However dear readers, The Corgyncombe Courant warns you about these delightful pieces of art as they can cause difficulties. 

 

Yes, whilst traversing the windy, lonely country byways, besides the treacherous icy roads, one must give careful attention to whether a snowdrift is too much for your vehicle to handle. 

 

Today it seems that people travel in the wintertime without proper winter attire all the time. They just jump in their vehicle with no hats, mittens, or boots. They never give any thought to their vehicle breaking down, or running out of gas, or getting lost in the wind driven snow or stuck... in a snowdrift.

 

The editresses of The Corgyncombe Courant always take along sheepskin hats and mittens, warm boots, wool scarves, shawls, and blankets and basic survival things. Once, when Diane picked up a friend to go out on an antiquing adventure, the friend came out to the vehicle without a hat, boots, or mittens. Diane ordered her friend back to the house to get the proper equipment for the trip, or she wouldn't take her anywhere. 

 

At Corgyncombe it gets blustery, cold, and drifts a lot. Once, when out, Diane got stuck in a snowdrift. Thud, she was going nowhere. Thankfully she didn't have to wait long because the kind snowplow men pulled her out and rescued her. It is a terrible feeling to be stuck in the cold. It was so bad she couldn't even get out of the vehicle, the wind took her breath away. 

 

Now that wintertime is upon us The Corgyncombe Courant hopes that all their dear readers drive safely and watch out for those lovely snowdrifts.

 

  Winter wear drying on a small rack that was a recent delightful find.

 

Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendars and delightful dolls inspired Diane and Sarah to create their own Christmas Calendar.

 

Diane and Sarah's 4th Annual Calendar to Count "The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things" can be found by clicking here.

 

"The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things" 

 

The link takes you to our web site "Our Favorite Things" where there is a special page with our Calendar with 25 round red windows covered with holly until the appointed day. Sometime during each day the window will change to the photograph of the day. The windows of the day are done alphabetically, going from A to Z and feature the dolls and their animal friends at Corgyncombe as they celebrate Christmastide joy!

 

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Inspired by Beatrix Potter and Tasha Tudor!

Mice Sewing and Carolers Singing

A story that is always fun to revisit at Christmastide, and especially enjoyed by Tillie Tinkham of Corgyncombe, is "The Tailor of Gloucester", by Beatrix Potter. "The Tailor of Gloucester" was employed to make a coat and waistcoat for the Mayor of Gloucester's wedding, which was to take place on Christmas Day in the morning. After he had cut them out, he went home and sent his cat out to get several things, including one penn'orth of cherry-coloured silk twist, to be used for one-and-twenty button-holes. Whilst the cat was away, the curious Tailor, upon hearing tip, tap, tip, tap, sets free the mice that the cat had captured under tea-cups. The Tailor became ill and Christmas was fast approaching. If you have never read "The Tailor of Gloucester" before, we are sure you will enjoy discovering who completes the coat and waistcoat, except for one button-hole with a little note attached stating "No More Twist". In Diane's photograph above, there is a charkha spindle of Diane's handspun silk. In the small bowl is cochineal for dyeing the silk a pleasant shade of cherry. Do you hear a tip, tap, tip, tap, tip?

Tillie Tinkham, Corgyncombe seamstress


Silk has been spun on the charkha spindle. The charkha is a delight to spin on! Diane's two-ply silk twist is in the upper compartment.

Elizabeth shows her sister Violet, and their bear Theodosia, some clothing choices for the fashionable bear in the Christmas Issue of "The Bouquet, A Journal for the Lady of Fashion", by Tasha Tudor. "The Bouquet" is a delightful publication that contains news, poetry, garden notes, fashions, the receipt of the month, music... and library items. The Library section lists in small volumes, the complete works of William Shakespeare. Amelia's library also boasts the complete works of Shakespeare in volumes just her size!

Elizabeth is thinking about where she put that fine piece of red material that would be perfect for a jacket for Theodosia, whilst Violet studies the fashions. Blue material is waiting to be made into a skirt, with scissors and thimble at the ready. Elizabeth used to model for the prestigious House of Bluebird, and now she is under the tutelage of Tillie Tinkham, of T. T.'s F. & F (Tillie Tinkham's Frocks and Fashions). Elizabeth is learning how to design and sew and she finds "The Bouquet" very interesting and helpful. Tillie Tinkham designed and made Elizabeth's charming apron.
The words for "The Holly and the Ivy" and an illustration of carolers are in "The Bouquet" by Tasha Tudor.
Carolers can also be seen and heard in "The Tailor of Gloucester", part of "The Word Peter Rabbit and Friends, Beatrix Potter".

Here is a link to:
"The Tailor of Gloucester" from YouTube.

In the video, the girl playing the violin and the child in the red hat both bear a striking resemblance to Sarah when she was little.

Here is a link to: the Victoria and Albert Museum page featuring "The Tailor of Gloucester". You can click on the pictures on that page to make them bigger.

Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendars and delightful dolls inspired Diane and Sarah to create their own Christmas Calendar.

Diane and Sarah's 4th Annual Calendar to Count "The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things" can be found by clicking here:

"The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things"
 

The link takes you to our web site "Our Favorite Things" where there is a special page with our Calendar with 25 round red windows covered with holly until the appointed day. Sometime during each day the window will change to the photograph of the day. The windows of the day are done alphabetically, going from A to Z and feature the dolls and their animals friends at Corgyncombe as they celebrate Christmastide joy!



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St. Nicholas Tea Inspired by Tasha Tudor

Dundee Cakes for St. Nicholas Tea

The hand-dipped beeswax candles are lit for tea on St. Nicholas Day. When lit, the Advent wreath creates such lovely shadows and light on the ceiling.

 

 Dundee Cakes for St. Nicholas Tea. The receipt can be found in "The Tasha Tudor Cookbook".

 

The receipt is also on the "Tasha Tudor and Family" web site. Here is the link to their: Receipt Page

 

 

Violet loves to play the dulcimer by beeswax candlelight. She strums the strings with Phidelia Finch's feather.

 

Diane also has a dulcimer. Here is the link to: "Tasha Tudor, A Birthday Celebration!" with a photograph of Diane's dulcimer.

 

Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendars and delightful dolls inspired Diane and Sarah to create their own Christmas Calendar.

 

Diane and Sarah's 4th Annual Calendar to Count "The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things" can be found by clicking here:

 

"The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things" 

 

The link takes you to our web site "Our Favorite Things" where there is a special page with our Calendar with 25 round red windows covered with holly until the appointed day. Sometime during each day the window will change to the photograph of the day. The windows of the day are done alphabetically, going from A to Z and feature the dolls and their animals friends at Corgyncombe as they celebrate Christmastide joy!

 

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Amelia's Carriage Ride in the Snow!

Christmas Calendar Inspired by Tasha Tudor

Amelia loves to ride about the Corgyncombe acreage in her carriage pulled by her devoted horse Molly! The landscape is covered with a fresh layer of snow! This morning Amelia is looking for greens to make wreaths and swags for the festive Christmastide celebration.

 

 

 

Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendars and delightful dolls inspired Diane and Sarah to create their own Christmas Calendar.

 

Diane and Sarah's 4th Annual Calendar to Count "The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things" can be found by clicking here:

 

"The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things" 

 

The link takes you to our web site "Our Favorite Things" where there is a special page with our Calendar with 25 round red windows covered with holly until the appointed day. Sometime during each day the window will change to the photograph of the day. The windows of the day are done alphabetically, going from A to Z and feature the dolls and their animals friends at Corgyncombe as they celebrate Christmastide joy!

 

 Amelia's carriage reminds The Corgyncombe Courant of the illustrations by Tasha Tudor of dolls enjoying carriage rides in "A is for Annabelle" and "The Night Before Christmas". In "Increase Rabbit" illustrated by Tasha Tudor, the bunny is also seen riding in the carriage.

 

 

Diane's great great grandmum Celestia driving her horse Molly. Although Celestia lived well into the age of the "autymobile" she still preferred always to travel by horse and buggy.

 

 

 

   Sweet Molly lived for years and was a devoted, well loved horse. Diane's Mum remembers sitting on the porch looking down the road waiting for her great grandmum and Molly to come into view...

 

 

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Tasha Tudor Advent Calendars!

Diane and Sarah Are Inspired!

Amelia loves beeswax candles and especially enjoys meals and tea by candlelight. Lucy helps her Auntie Amelia dip beeswax candles. The smell of beeswax is so lovely when you step inside Corgyncombe Cottage.

Diane and Sarah love beeswax candles and candlelight, too. What fond remembrances we have of evening meals in the parlour at Tasha Tudor's Corgi Cottage. Tasha Tudor would light many candles and wind up her old music box. How delightful it was to sit in the candlelight whilst the music box played.

Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendars and delightful dolls inspired Diane and Sarah to create their own Christmas Calendar.

Diane and Sarah's 4th Annual Calendar to Count "The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things" can be found by clicking here:

"The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things"

The link takes you to our web site "Our Favorite Things" where there is a special page with our Calendar with 25 round red windows covered with holly until the appointed day. Sometime during each day the window will change to the photograph of the day. The windows of the day are done alphabetically, going from A to Z and feature the dolls and their animals friends at Corgyncombe as they celebrate Christmastide joy!

The Tasha Tudor Advent Calendar in the photograph above was a serendipitous find this last summer. It was put aside and we waited to open the doors on the proper appointed days. In the photograph above, "An Advent Calendar from Tasha Tudor" is displayed. In front are some of the critters that live at Corgyncombe, Tillie Tinkham the mouse, an owl, rabbit, and fox.

"An Advent Calendar from Tasha Tudor", features a delightful outdoor scene of woodland creatures set against the snow, trees and sky of the forest. Underneath there are several burrows. In the center of a large tree, the biggest double door, to be opened on the 24th, leads down to the Rabbit's Afternoon Tea Room. A rabbit couple arrive wearing snowshoes, the patrons of the tea room leave their snowshoes on the side of the tree entrance. Near the entrance, a beautiful snow covered evergreen tree with a star up top, is covered with enchanting sparkles! Chickadees can be seen flying in with more sparkles to be put on the tree. The Corgyncombe Courant just loves sparkly snow, both in daylight and by the light of the moon!

There are owls, chickadees, squirrels, mice, rabbits, foxes, bluejays, crows,and flying squirrels. St. Nicholas is in the sky with six owls pulling his sleigh and a rabbit is kindly feeding apples to a deer. A little owl is high up in a tree near a December full moon.

In the bottom center burrow, with stairs leading down from the entrance, the rabbits have a delightfully detailed tea room. In another burrow the trash collector raccoons are having a high old time. A poor rooster is captive in a cage, perhaps to provide their next meal. There is a rabbit family in their own burrow, a mama rabbit holding two bunnies, with two more bunnies in a cradle, while father rabbit has fallen asleep in bed reading. Hibernating animals in another burrow are disturbed by the loud, festive mice, who are dancing and playing music. There is a cozy burrow with stockings hung by the fireplace, a Christmas tree, and three youngins tucked in under a lovely warm quilt. It seems that you can look at Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendars and always find something delightfully new!

The little owl in the tree by the light of the full moon, was part of Diane and Sarah's Christmas Calendar last year, "The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things". The above photograph was taken last year before Diane and Sarah had seen and studied "An Advent Calendar from Tasha Tudor", that they found this past summer. This little owl above in the Corgyncombe apple tree by the light of the Corgyncombe full December moon bears a striking resemblance to the little owl and full moon in "An Advent Calendar from Tasha Tudor".

This year, the moon reached its fullest in the wee hours of the morn on December 2nd.
Above is a Corgyncombe December full moon.

 In the photograph above, Corgyncombe critters Chirpy Cheerful, Quackenbush the duck, and Tillie Tinkham the mouse, look at the fun happenings at Corgiville in "Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendar, A Wreath of Days".

In "Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendar, A Wreath of Days" Tasha Tudor writes: "Greens are brought in to make the wreath and garlands. The house is filled with the cold, fresh scents of spruce and hemlock, tracked in snow, drying mittens, woodsmoke and baking, all that exemplifies happiness and home. Were one to smell any of these things again in a far country, many years hence, the entire scene would come poignantly alive once more and clutch the heart."

The Corgyncombe Courant loves the cover of "Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendar, A Wreath of Days". The tri colored corgi with the horn in the green jacket is so beguiling. The mummy Bunny and her little Bunns are so sweet, as is the Corgi mum with her little corgyn checking out the stocking. Inside the front cover, a corgi family is hanging the Advent wreath.

The Advent Calendar itself, in the center of the book, is an illustration of Corgiville with corgyn, bunnies, cats, and Boggarts (Swedish trolls) frolicking about in the winter scene. There are several sleighs being pulled by goats and a sleigh being pulled by a pig. Beyond the village of Corgiville, one can see the landscape with the farms and the mountains in the distance. A church is in the center of town with double doors to be opened on December 24th. On the last page of the book, a rabbit family are gathered in front of the old wood cookstove, papa sleeping in his rocker, little bunnies making things, and Mama Bunn looking attentively at one of the little Bunn's paintings. A little wren is perched on the back of Mama Bunn's rocking chair. On the inside back cover, there are squirrels performing as if they are in a circus, and a Christmas outdoor fair. Such splendid detail and imagination! The Corgyncombe Courant will not tell you what is under the numbered doors, that should remain a surprise for you to discover. The Corgyncombe Courant knows that you too would love this book! As Tasha Tudor says at the end of the book: "There are few events so satisfying as the pleasurable anticipation of the coming Christmas in the silence of cold and snow without, and the warmth and happiness within."

Lucy dipping beeswax candles in Amelia's cozy kitchen.

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A Christmas Calendar Inspired by Tasha Tudor!

"The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things"

Amelia gets up early in the morning and works late into the night.

Christmas is coming and there is much to do!

 

For years we have been inspired by our friend Tasha Tudor's doll families. Tasha Tudor made her dolls look so real and we know that they were real to her. Our dolls seem very real to us, too. Our doll families have many children, cousins, Mums, and Aunties who like to do all the favorite things that we like to do best! 

 

Tasha Tudor created many delightfully fun Calendars for Christmas and Valentines Day.

 

Inspired by Tasha Tudor's Advent Calendars and delightful dolls, Diane and her daughter Sarah are making this years Christmas Calender, "The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things". This is the 4th year that Diane and Sarah have made A Calendar to Count "The Days Until Christmas" featuring Amelia's Favorite Things. Amelia and her family like to celebrate all the special days throughout the year. 

 

Here is the link to view our Calendar:

 

 "The Days Until Christmas: Amelia's Favorite Things" 

 

Everyday, starting December 1st, a new photograph should appear on the Christmas Calendar, however we ask your patience dear readers, as sometimes there might be a delay due to the weather (such as blizzards, ice storms, high winds and snow), technical difficulties, Finch Post delays, etc. 

 

The Corgyncombe Courant doesn't have a set time when we add the photograph of the day to the Calendar, as there are many other tasks to do and animals to care for. 

 

As it is a Christmas Calendar of Amelia's Favorite Things and Amelia is a doll who lives at Corgyncombe Cottage & Corg'ery, the photographs in the calendar are appropriately small. The Corgyncombe Courant realizes that their readers would like to see the photographs bigger. This had already been taken into account. Eventually, we will have A Closer Look on The Corgyncombe Courant, featuring larger versions of the Christmas Calendar photographs, plus additional photographs of the Christmastide happenings at Corgyncombe.

 

How we look forward to celebrating Christmastide traditions and the many surprises as we

Count "The Days Until Christmas" with Amelia!

 

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Tasha Tudor Cards at Christmas Tea

The Corgyncombe Courant is in the Christmas Mood!

'Tis now after Thanksgiving and The Corgyncombe Courant is feeling the festive Christmas spirit! Diane brings out some of her Tasha Tudor Christmas card collection to enjoy at tea with pumpkin pie, cheese, and Tasha Tudor's Welsh Breakfast Tea. Birds have always been a favorite subject for Tasha Tudor at Christmas and throughout the year.

In "Take Joy! The Tasha Tudor Christmas Book" there is a chickadee illustrated on the title page surrounded by nuts, berries, and winter greenery. There are some lovely birds illustrated on the cover and inside "Wings from the Wind, An Anthology of Poems" Selected and Illustrated by Tasha Tudor.

Chickadee and Sparrow

Diane has always loved watching birds, too. In grade school one of Diane's teachers loved birds and always fed them in a tree outside the window. Diane always liked to watch the birds instead of concentrating on school work. Diane received an award for perfect attendance which was a certificate to be redeemed at the bookstore. The second Diane walked in the bookstore she knew which book she wanted... a big wonderful book about birds. The book included a recording of all the lovely bird songs.

The Corgyncombe Courant encourages their dear readers to feed the birds throughout the winter and never forget to feed them daily as our little winged friends depend on us! The birds are always such a joy to watch and to hear! They can also be amusing to watch, like the nuthatch who likes to perch upside down.

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Thanksgiving at Corgyncombe Cottage

An Old Fashioned Feast to Be Thankful For!

Corgyncombe Cottage celebrated Thanksgiving Day with favorite traditional Thanksgiving food. Diane made pumpkin pies from pumpkins grown in the Corgyncombe Vegetable Garden. 

 

The photographs below show the steps in preparing the pumpkins for pumpkin pie.

 Extreme care must be taken whilst cutting the pumpkins. 

 

  After the pumpkins are cut in two, the seeds are scraped out and the pumpkin is then put on a baking pan and put into the oven. The seeds were dried and saved. 

 

  After cooling, the outer skin is peeled off and the pumpkin is mashed. 

 

  The pumpkin is then put into cheesecloth and tied up. 

 

 The cheesecloth bag is put into a colander in a bowl and pressed with a weight overnight in the ice box to remove the excess liquid. In the morning the cheesecloth bag with the pumpkin in it is squeezed to get the rest of the liquid out. 

 

  The pumpkin is put into a bowl and the rest of the ingredients are added. 

 

 Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and a little bit of nutmeg make the Corgyncombe Cottage kitchen smell delightfully like Thanksgiving.

 

 

The pumpkin pie before baking. 

 

 

Red Pontiac potatoes from the Corgyncombe Vegetable garden cooked over the fire in Diane's Grandmum's iron kettle. Diane's Grandmum always used the kettle to cook potatoes. 

 

 

Cranberries cooking over the hot coals. 

 

 

 

The turkey and stuffing is done! Diane uses her Grandmum's platter for the turkey with bay leaves from Diane's bay tree tucked around the edge.

 

 

Diane will soon have a tin kitchen to roast her turkey before the fire. In the bowl are Red Pontiac mashed potatoes, made according to the receipt in "The Tasha Tudor Cookbook". Squash was also prepared.

 

Here is a link to: Our Thanksgiving Page on Our Favorite Things

 

 

After barn chores pumpkin pie is served with cheese.

 

Louisa May Alcott wrote a story called "An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving". Diane's 5th great grandfather Eliakim May was 1st cousin to Louisa May Alcott's great grandfather Samuel May.

 

In Tasha Tudor's "Around the Year", Tasha has illustrated a tin kitchen with traditional Thanksgiving food around it. In "A Time to Keep", Tasha Tudor illustrated a lady basting the turkey in a tin kitchen in front of the fire. Hungry corgyn gather round, hoping for a taste of turkey. "The New England Butt'ry Shelf Cookbook" written by Mary Mason Campbell and illustrated by Tasha Tudor, also features an illustration of a woman using a tin kitchen with a table of Thanksgiving food.

 

 

In "First Poems of Childhood", for the poem "Over the River and Through the Wood" by Lydia Maria Child, Tasha Tudor illustrated Thanksgiving food and a family going over the covered bridge with horse and sleigh to a lovely old house and barn where they will enjoy Thanksgiving dinner. The old house and barn remind The Corgyncombe Courant of Corgyncombe Cottage and barn. 

 

An old fashioned Thanksgiving for those at Corgyncombe Cottage, a delicious feast to be most thankful for!

 

Here is a link to a YouTube video where they prepared pumpkin for pumpkin pie using a similar method with the cheesecloth:

 

Pumpkin Pie from Scratch on YouTube 

 

It has more instructions on cooking times and preparation.

 

 

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